Mailbag: Will Radke retire after 2006?
11/14/2005
How much longer do you see Brad Radke pitching in a Twins uniform, and will he or Johan Santana be the Opening Day starter in 2006? -- Brad R., Fort Rucker, Ala.
Radke will be entering the final year of a two-year, $18 million contract next season and has indicated that he would like to retire after 2006, when he'll be a relatively young 34 years old. Whether he actually does retire, I'm not sure. I would think it'd be hard to walk away, especially if he's still pitching well and if the Twins have returned to the playoffs. Then, there's the money on top of that, as well. But, Radke is also a committed family man with two young sons and I could also envision him spending a lot of his time going fishing with his kids.
As for Opening Day, Radke has started the last seven in a row and nine overall. I don't see manager Ron Gardenhire switching now, even though Santana has risen to superstar ranks and also deserves the honor. This season, the manager said he and pitching coach Rick Anderson's decision to start Radke in the opener literally took seconds to make last winter.
What are the chances of the Twins signing Mike Piazza? I hear he's likely to sign with an American League team and be the DH, since his catching days are probably over. I think he would be a good fit for our offense, but can we afford him? -- Ben A., Minneapolis, Minn.
It's certainly plausible, since the Twins are looking for offense and Piazza is seeking a team. But the last I've heard, the Twins hadn't contacted him or his agent. If they were to show interest, the ability to afford him would depend on the number of other teams that also show interest this winter. The 37-year-old made over $16 million in 2005, but won't likely command anywhere near that figure on this market. Injuries marred what was likely his final season with the Mets this year, but a healthy Piazza could be a big help.
So many people wrote off Michael Cuddyer at third base after a shaky start. But I felt his defensive play at third improved greatly in the second half, and he was making some really fine plays by the end of the season. Do you think the Twins will give him another shot at third? He also plays second base and right field pretty well, and Gardenhire says he will be a part of the plan in 2006. Where do you think Cuddyer will end up in the field next year? -- Meg A., Minneapolis, Minn.
It appears that the Twins higher-ups feel that Cuddyer would be better off not playing third base next season, where he committed 15 errors in 95 games. They felt he played better on both ends of the game when at a different spot, and therefore have already decided to explore other options at third. I always felt Cuddyer looked pretty good at second base, especially when he was there at the end of the 2004 season, and wouldn't mind seeing what happens if they let him compete for that starting role. Where he ends up will largely depend on if the club signs or trades for either a right fielder or a second baseman, or both.
What do you think of Juan Castro at second base next year, or even third? He is a solid defensive player and with a .257 average in 97 games last year, he is not that bad at the plate, compared the rest of the possible second and third baseman. I believe that Castro would work great at second and the Twins should go for the power third baseman. -- Ben D., Hudson, Wis.
You are correct that Castro is solid defensively -- about as solid as they come, in fact. And yes, he had a respectable enough season overall, offensively. But his career splits, and this season's numbers, showed that he's struggled more at the plate when counted on to play every day. A career backup player, he seems to thrive more often when managers pick their spots. Since Gardenhire loves to make full use of his 25-man roster, there's no doubt Castro will still get ample playing time next year.
It's been a while since the Twins had a guy with 100 RBIs. In my opinion, I think they should go after two-time MVP winner Juan Gonzalez. They could almost get him for free. He kills the ball in Minnesota. If he's healthy, he could be huge. -- Ross E., Alexandria, Minn.
Sure, if he's healthy -- Gonzalez might be helpful, but who knows? When was the last time he's been reliable enough to even say that? The track record and the commitment just haven't been there. Any team that's taken a chance in recent years has been burned. He hasn't played more than 100 games since 2001 and because of a hamstring issue, lasted just one at-bat (at the Metrodome) this season at a cost of $600,000 to the Indians. His inability to stay off the disabled list has probably cost him a shot at the Hall of Fame. If I were a GM and offered Gonzalez's services for even the league minimum, I'd pass.
Who gets to vote for the Cy Young Award and the other awards? Do you have to be qualified? -- Mark W., Maple Grove, Minn.
The major awards (MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year) are voted on by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Each chapter in the Major League markets decides which writers get to vote for an award. Unfortunately, I am not a member and therefore have no vote.
Source: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/
How much longer do you see Brad Radke pitching in a Twins uniform, and will he or Johan Santana be the Opening Day starter in 2006? -- Brad R., Fort Rucker, Ala.
Radke will be entering the final year of a two-year, $18 million contract next season and has indicated that he would like to retire after 2006, when he'll be a relatively young 34 years old. Whether he actually does retire, I'm not sure. I would think it'd be hard to walk away, especially if he's still pitching well and if the Twins have returned to the playoffs. Then, there's the money on top of that, as well. But, Radke is also a committed family man with two young sons and I could also envision him spending a lot of his time going fishing with his kids.
As for Opening Day, Radke has started the last seven in a row and nine overall. I don't see manager Ron Gardenhire switching now, even though Santana has risen to superstar ranks and also deserves the honor. This season, the manager said he and pitching coach Rick Anderson's decision to start Radke in the opener literally took seconds to make last winter.
What are the chances of the Twins signing Mike Piazza? I hear he's likely to sign with an American League team and be the DH, since his catching days are probably over. I think he would be a good fit for our offense, but can we afford him? -- Ben A., Minneapolis, Minn.
It's certainly plausible, since the Twins are looking for offense and Piazza is seeking a team. But the last I've heard, the Twins hadn't contacted him or his agent. If they were to show interest, the ability to afford him would depend on the number of other teams that also show interest this winter. The 37-year-old made over $16 million in 2005, but won't likely command anywhere near that figure on this market. Injuries marred what was likely his final season with the Mets this year, but a healthy Piazza could be a big help.
So many people wrote off Michael Cuddyer at third base after a shaky start. But I felt his defensive play at third improved greatly in the second half, and he was making some really fine plays by the end of the season. Do you think the Twins will give him another shot at third? He also plays second base and right field pretty well, and Gardenhire says he will be a part of the plan in 2006. Where do you think Cuddyer will end up in the field next year? -- Meg A., Minneapolis, Minn.
It appears that the Twins higher-ups feel that Cuddyer would be better off not playing third base next season, where he committed 15 errors in 95 games. They felt he played better on both ends of the game when at a different spot, and therefore have already decided to explore other options at third. I always felt Cuddyer looked pretty good at second base, especially when he was there at the end of the 2004 season, and wouldn't mind seeing what happens if they let him compete for that starting role. Where he ends up will largely depend on if the club signs or trades for either a right fielder or a second baseman, or both.
What do you think of Juan Castro at second base next year, or even third? He is a solid defensive player and with a .257 average in 97 games last year, he is not that bad at the plate, compared the rest of the possible second and third baseman. I believe that Castro would work great at second and the Twins should go for the power third baseman. -- Ben D., Hudson, Wis.
You are correct that Castro is solid defensively -- about as solid as they come, in fact. And yes, he had a respectable enough season overall, offensively. But his career splits, and this season's numbers, showed that he's struggled more at the plate when counted on to play every day. A career backup player, he seems to thrive more often when managers pick their spots. Since Gardenhire loves to make full use of his 25-man roster, there's no doubt Castro will still get ample playing time next year.
It's been a while since the Twins had a guy with 100 RBIs. In my opinion, I think they should go after two-time MVP winner Juan Gonzalez. They could almost get him for free. He kills the ball in Minnesota. If he's healthy, he could be huge. -- Ross E., Alexandria, Minn.
Sure, if he's healthy -- Gonzalez might be helpful, but who knows? When was the last time he's been reliable enough to even say that? The track record and the commitment just haven't been there. Any team that's taken a chance in recent years has been burned. He hasn't played more than 100 games since 2001 and because of a hamstring issue, lasted just one at-bat (at the Metrodome) this season at a cost of $600,000 to the Indians. His inability to stay off the disabled list has probably cost him a shot at the Hall of Fame. If I were a GM and offered Gonzalez's services for even the league minimum, I'd pass.
Who gets to vote for the Cy Young Award and the other awards? Do you have to be qualified? -- Mark W., Maple Grove, Minn.
The major awards (MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year) are voted on by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Each chapter in the Major League markets decides which writers get to vote for an award. Unfortunately, I am not a member and therefore have no vote.
Source: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home